Selangor’s 2011 budget became the latest battleground between Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim and his predecessor Mohd Khir Toyo, as they attempt to undermine each other’s credibility in the running of the nation’s most developed state.

Khir, who was Selangor Menteri Besar for eight years before the Pakatan Rakyat took over the state in March 2008, accused Khalid and his administration of covering up the truth that the state is running on a deficit budget.

NONE Khalid ( left ), on the other hand, responded that Khir did not know a thing about accounting and budgeting, even offering to conduct some studies so that the latter can “learn”.

Khir, when opening the debate on the state’s 2011 budget this morning, said from 2009 Selangor has suffered a deficit due to poor spending habits by the state government.

He said earlier this year, the state assembly tabled two supplementary bills, the first worth RM69 million and passed in April.

“In July, another supplementary bill worth RM117 million was tabled and in this November meeting, another bill for RM8 million will be tabled. The total additional budget for this year is RM194 million.

NONE “This puts the total 2010 budget at RM1.494 billion. This means the state government this year, on paper, is suffering a deficit of RM194 million.

“What will happen in 2011? I fear that by the time the general election comes in 2013, Selangor will become bankrupt due to such poor spending (habits),” Khir ( right ) said.

Khalid, however, shot back at Khir later in the afternoon, pointing out that the tabling of a budget “is a process, not a conclusion”.

‘Selangor no longer in deficit’

“Possibly he (Khir) never learned accounts and budgeting. Usually, a budget will be reviewed periodically. There is under-budgeting, and over-budgeting. There is no such thing as an exact budget.

“Even if there was a deficit in December, it was shown that in June this year that our surplus went up so there is no more deficit. We increased our state reserves with a surplus of RM280 million, which is the highest in the past five years,” he said at a press conference.

Khalid continued to needle Khir, calling him a loyar buruk (joker) whose statements tak boleh pakai (cannot be used).

“If it is true that the former MB fears (the state will become) bankrupt, he should tell the Prime Minister because the Prime Minister is the one who is running a deficit budget and the amount is not RM200 million, it is at least RM20 billion.

“The people of Selangor don’t need to fear of Selangor going bankrupt. I think the Malaysian government will go bankrupt much faster than the state of Selangor,” he said.